Pressure regulator



March 25, 1958 J. H. RICE ET AL ,8

PRESSURE REGULATOR Fild Nov. 5, 1954 J72 en an5? United StateS Patent PRESSURE REGULATOR James H. Rime, Chicago, and John W. Baur, Glenview, Ill., assignors to Binks Manufacturng Corporaon, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application November 5, 1954, Serial No. 467,173

3 Claims. (Cl. 137-505.47)

This invention relates to improvements in a flow regalator and refers particularly to a regulator for controlling the flow of a fluid which may carry suspended abrasive material. 7

In eontrolling the flow of fluid which carries snspended abrasive material, such, for instance, as finely divided ceramic material, metal valves or other metaflic control deviees are quickly rendered useless by virtue of the abrasive action of the fiowing material.

The present invention is directed to a flow control device wherein the flow control agent may be constructed of a material, such as, flexible, resilient rubber or the like, which has high resistance to abrasion.

Aceordingly, one of the features of the present invention resides in a flow control device which has an exeeedingly long, useful lite under the adverse conditions enconntered in controlling the flow et an abrasive material.

Another important feature of the invention resides in a flow control meehanism which ean maintain an accurate flow of abrasive material over a relatively Wide range of rates of flow.

A further important feature of the invention resides in a flow control device which is simple in its operation and is most economical in construction.

Other objeets and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawing and following detailed description.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational view of a device embodying the concepts of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1

with the bonnet removed.

V grips the end of the tube 12. A similar bushing 16 is.

Fig. 3 is a detailed sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the device comprising the present invention comprises essentially a body portion 1, a bonnet 2 secured to the upper portion of the body by means of screws 3, and a bottom plate 4 secured to the lower portion of the body by screws 5. The side wall of the body carries an apertured inlet boss 6 and a spaced aperturad outlet boss 7, said bosses preferably being formed integral with the wall of the body.

The body portion 1 is substantially hollow and is interiorly divided by a web or partition 8 which is also preferably formed integral with the wall of the body. A groove 9 of substantially spiral configuration is provided in the upper face of the web 8, one end of said groove leading to the inlet boss 6 through passageway 10 and the other end of the groove leading to the outlet boss through passageway Il, said passageways being provided in the material comprising the web 8 and the wall of the body.

A flexible conduit 12 is positioned in said spiral groove 9 and the ends thereof extend into the inlet and outlet bosses 6 and 7, respectively. An externally threaded fitng 13 threadedly engages in the inlet boss 6 and a lce similar fitting 14 engages in the outlet boss 7. By means of fittings 13 and 14, the device may be connected to a desired piping circuit through which the flow of fluid is to be eontrolled. A bushing 15 is positioned in the inlet boss 6 and when fitting 13 is tightened, frictionally positioned in the outlet boss 7 whichanchors and seals the opposite end et tube l2when the fitting 14 is tightened.

A control plate 17 is positioned within the bonnet 2 and is adapted to rest upon the upper portion of.the spirally coiled tubing 12 which is carried in the groove 9. The web or partition 8 carries a central boss 18 in which an aperture 19 is provided. A eonnecting rod 20 is slidably positioned in the aperture 19, said rod being secured at its upper end to the central portion of theplate 17 by means of nut 21.

A coil spring 22 abuts at one end upon the upper portion of plate 17 and at its opposite end said coil spring which an adjusting screw 24 is positioned, said adjusting screw at its upper portion having a handle.25 whereby the screw may be eonvenienfly rotated. The lower end of the screw 24 engages in .a recess 26 provided in the upper face of the disc 23. The arrangement is such that by the manipulation of the screw 24 spring 22 may be relatively compressed or relatively released and hence control plate 17 will bear against the tubing 12 in a controlled manner.

The web or partition 8 adjacent the wall of the body 1 is provided with a valve chamber 27 in which avalve gate 28 is slidably positioned. The valve gate 28 is Substantially cylindrical in cross section and terminates in a finger 29 at its upper end, The lower end of the valve gate 28 carries a yoke 30 which opens downwardly. A recess 31 is also provided in a portion of the bonnet 2, the recess 31 being in communication and in substantial axial alignment with the recess 27. A'movable valve seat 32 is positioned in the recess 31. The arrangement is such that the tube 12 where it passes through the passageway 10, is disposed between finger 29 of the valve gate 28,and valve seat 32. As will be hereinafter more fully described, by moving the valve gate 28 toward or away from the valve seat 32 the tube 12 may be' rela at 36 in Fig. 1, and the opposite end of the lever 35 carries an abutment screw 37 which is 30 positioned within the, yoke In operation, the device comprising the present inventian may be connected in a piping circuit (mot shown) through Which a fluid earrying abrasive material may pass. The conneetwns are so made that the abrasive carrying 'material passes inwardly through the inlet boss 6 and passes outwardly through the outlet boss 7. The screw 24 may be adjusted to cause plate 17 to exert a prede termined downward pressure upon the coiled tubing 12. In compressing the coiled tubing the connecting rod 20 is moved axially downwardly. Such movement is trans mitted to lever 35 which in turn lowers the valve gate 28. In lowering the valve gate 28 the pressure exerted by the fi.nger 29 of the valve gate against the tubing is released and the cross sectional area of the tubing between the valve gate and the valve seat 32 is inereased. In increasing this cross-sectional area a greater pressure is established within the coiled tubing 12 and hence said tubing 10 tends to distend. In distending, the control plate fashion an;equilbflum-isestablished.and theposition of the.control plate-17 and valve gate28 eventuallybecomes fixed With a predetermined setting of the compression uponthe coil spring ;22.

It.can readily beseen, that for eachprcdetermined setting of 1116 compressionofthe -coi l sp ring 22 a difierent equilibrium position will be;establshed between the control plate 17 and valve gate 28 and hence the device may be set to permit.desired rates OflOW of the material passing in:the circuit. It can also be seen that with-a prede termined.setting-of the compression of the il-spring2 the rate.of flow and, hence, the pressure of the fluid passing through the tubing l2willybe maintained constant.

Valve..seat 32.is carriedupon arod 38 whichis slidably positioned in an, aperture provided inybonnet 2. A pin 39' is transversely positioneduponmd 38-Within recess 3Land the upper portionof saidrecessis provided With a groove;40 into which:thetransverse pin 39 may register when.rod.38is rotated to a predetermined position. For instance, in.Fig.1, pin. 39 is illustrated as beinggat rightangles, togroove40. and, hence, rod 38 is disposed in its lowermost position In this position.of rod 38, the valve seat, 32 is in its. operative, position to serve asan abut-' ment against whichtube 12may be pressed by valve gate 28'. A knob 41' is carried upon the upper protruding endflof.rod 38', by means.of which, rod 33 may be rotated to the position illustrated. in Fig. 3.. In this.position the pressure Within,tube l2, will move.rod 38 upwardly, such movement beirrg accommodated by the registration of pin 39 in. groove 40., When rod 38 is in this, position, gale 28" is substantially inefiective in controlling the flow through the tube. The movableseat 32 thus provides a convenient pressure release Whichmay'be quickly manipulated ifoccasion dmands. r 7

The screw 37 carried at the end portion of lever 35 is employed primarily as a calibrating means. fiuid under pressure'is contained Witliin tube 12, the compression of spring 22 is sustained entirely by the resiliency of tube 12. Hence, lever 35 will be depressed to a predetermined'position at.which the tube 12, where it passes between finger'29' and valve seat 32 should be closed. By the adjustment of screw 37' this closed. condition of tube 12 may be secured. Thereafler, when fluid under When no tively fiat support, a spirally coiled resilient distendible tube having a plurality of convolutions carried by said support and adapted for conriection in a fiuid flow circuit, 21 relatively fiat plate positioned upon said coiled tube to substantially cover all of said convolutions, resilient means for urging said plate into contact With said tube and acting against said support whereby said plate is responsive to distention of said tube due to fluid pressure therein, a valve gate for controlling the flow of fiuid through said,tube, means connecting said plate and said valve gate to actuate said valve gate to control the fluid flow through said tube in response to the degree of distention of said tube, and means carried by said connecting means for completely 'closing said valve gate.

2. A fluid regulator compn'sng in combination, a body, a support in said body, a IGSIR, distendible tube carried upon said support and adapted for connection in a fluid flow circuit, a plate positioned upon said tube upon said support, =adjustable spring means for resiliently maintaining said plate in contact with said tube for resisting distention of said tube due to fluid pressure therein, a valve-gateforsqueezing said tube to control the flow of fluid through said tube, and lever means connecting said plate and said valve gateto cause said valve gate to squeeze said tube to control the fiuid flow through said tube in response to the degree of distention of said tube, said lever means comprising a rod carried by said plate and extending through said support, a lever pivotally mounted upon said support, means pivotally connecting said rod to an intermediate portion of said lever, and adjustable contact means upon the free end of said lever for actuating said valve gate.

3. A fiuid regulator comprising in combination, a housing, a spirally coiled resilient distendible tube positioned in said housing, an inlet for said tube and outlet for said tube carried by said housing for connection in a fiuid circuit, springimpelled means carried, in said housing in contact wi th said coiled tube for resisting distentions of said tube due to fiuid pressure therein, a valve gate carried by saidhousing and in contact withsaid tube for controlling the flow of fluid through said tube, a connecting rod carried by said springimpelled means, a lever pivoted at one end in said housing the opposite end thereof being in actuating relationship to said valve gate, and means for pivotally securing said connecting rod to said lever for rocking said lever in response to distention of said tube.

Reterences Cited in the file of this patent UNIT ED'STATES PATENTS 649,146 Great Britain Jan. 17, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No., 2,827,919 Mrch 25, 1958 Jaunes Ho Rice et al It is hereby certified that error ppears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

In the grant, lines 2 and 3, for "assignors to Binks Manufacturzmg Corporation, of Chicago, Illinois, a corporation of Delaware," read assignors to Binks Manufacturing Company, of Chicago, Illihois, a corporation of Delaware, line 12, for "Binks Manufacturing Corporation, its successors" read Binks Manufacturing Company, its successors in the heading to the printed specification, linas 4 and 5, for "assignors to Binks Manufacturihg Corporation, Chicago, I110, a corporation of Delaware" read assignors to Binks Manuf.cturng Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation ofDe1aWare Signed and sealed this 4th day of November 1958 (SEAL) Attest:

KARL AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting O-fficer Comissioner of Patents 

